ADDRESS-FOREIGN 2 LAST

On Afghanistan, the President said the government would
continue to work for the return of stability and peace in that
country and help the Afghan people in their reconstruction
efforts.
A meeting of the India-Africa Forum Summit would be held
in Ethiopia later this year, she said, adding that this was
the first such initiative in Africa by New Delhi as the
continent enjoys "a special place" in the heart of Indians.
Noting that India's relationship with major world powers
also continued to develop satisfactorily, Patil pointed out
that top leaders of all five Permanent Members of the UN
Security Council -- China, France, Russia, the UK and the US,
visited India last year.
"My government will continue to work to realise the full
potential of these relationships in the pursuit of India's
interests," she said.
Maintaining that the international economic situation
"continues to remain complicated by the after effects of the
global financial crisis," Patil said the government had worked
with partners in G-20, BRIC and IBSA groupings to "promote an
open and inclusive international trading order, resisting
protectionist impulses."
As a member of the UN Security Council for a two-year
term, India would advance the cause of peace, development and
security and uphold the values of multilateralism, she said.
PTI